Method of and apparatus for sculpturing



Aug. 17 1926.

M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULPTURING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 26, 1924 Aug. 17 1926.

M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULPTURING' Filed Feb. 26, 1924 4 Sheets- Sheet 2 Aug. 17 1926.

M. SCHIESARI METHOD OF AND, APPARATUS FOR SCULPTURING Filed Feb. 25, 1924 4 Sheeft.s$he5t 4 avwemtoz 3 cf motive Patented Aug. 17, 19.26.

UNITED STATES iseessa PATENT'OFFICE.

MARIO SCHIESARI, OF NEW YORK, N; Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SCULPTURING.

Application filed February 26, 1924. Serial No. 695,227.

This invention relates to a novel and im proved method of reproducing sculptures and other three dimensional objects, and to apparatus for carrying the method into 6 practice; and its main object is to provide a novel method of setting and operating a sculpturing or carving tool, or a plurality of tools, whereby the exact depth of carving is carefully determined, and satisfactory 0 work may be produced in a relatively short time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel method of arranging a plurality of sculpturing or carving tools, where 16 by the same may be collectively operated, at

all times preserving their relative depths of penetration; this permitting of greatly reducing the time required by the same class of work, when performed by other methods 90 heretofore in use.

7 A further object is to provide a novel and improved method of tabulating the necessary data concerning size and penetration of tools at different points of a sculpture to be 25 reproduced. and in accordingly setting the tools used m a predetermined arrangement, whereby the sculpture may be reproduced 1n a relatively short time, and without the necessity of employlng special or above the average skill.

A still further object'is to provide special arrangements of sculpturing or carving tools, whereby a plurality of tools may be operated at the same time by the same source power.

lVith these and other objects in view, as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, this invention furthermore comprises certain novel and improved constructions and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and. claimed in the appended claims.

In a co-pending application for patent. fi ed by having for title Method of and apparatus for making sculptures, I have described a method and apparatus whereby sculptures and other three dimensional objects may be reproduced by means of one or 59 more cutting or carving tools, the axial movements of which are controlled by diag ams or profiles derived from the originalmodel. The main characteristics of the said invention are thepossibility of automatic .55 or semi-automatic operation, and the possibiiitv :of sin me on February 5, 1924, Serial No.

l aneous eperatiQn of a plural- 1 ity of tools; and the mode of operation consists in causing displacement of the tool or tools in a given plane, at the same time causing the corresponding profile or pro files to control the depth of penetration of the tool or tools at the various points of travel.

Although the present invention is in tended for practically the same purpose, its

natureis essentially different from that of the invention mentioned, the same problem being attacked from a different angle. The fundamental feature of the present invention is the identification of the original model point by point, by referring all'points to alcommon plane, and by giving the ordinate and the abscissa of each point on said plane, and the distance therefrom.

Then by placing the reproducing tool at corresponding points of a Working plane,

and by regulating its depth of penetration to correspond to the distancesof the original points from the plane of reference, various points of the surface of the reproduction will be determined, requiring only finishing operations of minor importance in order to complete the work.

In this case it is obvious that there is no lateral displacement of the tool or tools, but only axial penetration, to the extent for which the tool or tools have been set. It is also'obvious that no diagrams or profiles are necessary, but only symbols which can easily be reduced to tabulated form, giving I the depth of penetration for each point of the surface, and such other information as may be necessary in carrying out the wor such as the size and nature of the tool used,

the working angle, etc.

tal row of elementary subdivisions of the plane of reference'may be represented by a diagram or profile corresponding to the various indications of depth, and that therefore a profile such as employed in CODHEC:

tion with my previous invention above-referred to, may be obtained from this same tabulated source; and it is also evident that the tabulated indications may be originally obtained from a diagram or profile, or by a set thereof, if the necessary measuren'ients are obtained in graphic form, as will be explained.

The tool ortools may then be operated so as to'reach the proper pen tration; but I prefer to employ apparatus so designed that thedepth of penetration'of the tool or tools may be'set in advance, and the tool or tools may be operated to thelimit set by the adjustment of the apparatus.

The carving operation, proper, may be carried out by means of rotating tools, or

by means of tools actuated by percussion,

suchaschisels, according to conditions, and to-nature of the materials used. The underlyingprinciple is the samein all cases, this being-the setting. of the tools for given depthof penetration as given by directions available in tabulated (or graphic) form; but the nature of thetoo-ls employed, and the nature of the work, obviously constitute important factors to be considered in determining the type of apparatus to be used in performing theworlt.

Theapparatus which can thus be designed in order to carry my invention into practice, are so numerous and so diversified in character, that no attempt has been madein the drawings to show any definite type as best suited for'the'purpose; and it is to be clearly understood, that the annexed drawings are intended for illustrative pur- "loses only, and not in a limiting sense,

their chiefpurpose being: to convey clearidea of the method Which constitutes the main object of the present invention.

Referring to said drawings:

l is a front view in elevation of an elementary form of apparatus which can be used for measuring the distance of the various points of the surface of an object to be reproduced from a plane pf reference, and which c an also be used for controlling the depth of penetration of reproducing tool;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is detail plan view, partly broken away and sectional, of'the adjustable'carriage of said machine;

Final is a fragmentary sectional VlGW in elevation showing a plurality of carving tools working simultaneously in producing .a sculpture reproduction;

Fig. 5 is a detail front view of said tools;

Figlti'is aside view in elevation of a ma chine which" maybe used for-:the'simultane ous operationof a plurality of rotating car I ing'toels vatien of the same/ 1 Fig.7 is a ira mentaryre 1*"JieW "ln ole- Fig. 12 is a fragmentary view illustrating the screen-like subdivision which may be ade tion on the plane of reference; and

Fig 13'is a fragmentary view illustratingone way in. which the various indications relatire to-the plane of-reference for a given work. may be translatedinto tabulated form.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, I illustrate a type of ma-- chine or device which may be used for obtaining the codified lnformation concerning a work to be reproduced, corresponding to am penetration data of'tools in graphic Led to identify the;location of the vari 'ouspointsot the model or of the reproduca screen subdivision of a plane of reference such as illustrated in Fig. 12. The machine consists of a frame 20, mounted on a base 21 provided with a graduation 22, and a carrier 23, provided with a pointer 24, horrzontally movable on said base by means of a screw 25.'

Qnsaid carrier are mounted two upright guides 26, 26', one of which is provided with a graduation 27, andq'a carriage 28 slidable along said guides, and controlled by a screw Said carriage is provided with a sheath or bushing 30, the axis of which is directed from front to rear, adjustable in relationto a horizontal graduation 31 mounted on said carriage.

Said sheath orbushing may receive a stylus 32 for the purpose of measuring the distance of the various pointsof the surface of the model to be reproduced from the plane of the machinaor else it may receive a cutting or carvingrtcol 33 to beused in the work of reproduction, as the case may be.

If the stylus is madeto projectof a eonstant quantity (4 from the front end of the bushmrz, becoming in lact one with said bushing whilethe work of measuring the I it) distance of thevarious points is being performed, it is obviousthat after the machine has been set at a given distance from the work, the carriage maybe moved in suc' cession to equidistant points horizontal row by means of'screw 25; and by'moving bushing '30 in relation to scale or graduat on 31, so as to cause the 'endof alo the same stylus 32 to come in contact'w'i h the opposit-'eppoints on t'he 'surfa'c'e*of the work,

' obtained the readings on said scale 31 will furnish indications from which the distance of the various points from the plane of reference (which may be the vertical plane passing through the axis of screw may be readily determined.

The carriage may be subsequently lowered to the next horizontal row by means of screw 29, and the operation repeated, and so on, until the totality of the surface has been covered. The vertical and horizontal step by step movements of the carriage to equidistant points may of courseeasily be regulated by means of the graduations provided for this purpose; and complete readings of depth or distance of the various points from the plane of reference may thus be obtained, to fill the corresponding spaces of the quadrillc or screen represented in Fig. 12.

The same machine may be used for carrying out the work of reproduction, by substituting a carving tool, for instance a drill in place of the stylus 32, and by setting bushing according to indications obtained from the table. By means of a collar 34, the drill may be set to project from the front end of the bushing of a quantity a corresponding to the projection of stylus 32; so that if the drill is operated by means of a flexible shaft 85, it may be caused to penetrate the material to the proper distance, and no more. 1

Instead of a drill, a reaming tool may be used, or a chisel operated by percussion, the distance of penetration being in all cases adjusted in advance.

In practice, the reproducing of a work point by point is a lengthy operation, hardly preferable to other methods which I will explain later; but the operation, as explained, serves to clearly convey an illustration of the invention in its elementary form.'

Certain portions of the surface may be best measured or reproduced by setting the tool or the work at a different angle, in the vertical or in the horizontal sense, or both; and in this case suitable indications may be provided in the tabulated or codified forms, such for instance as illustrated in Fig. 13, where angle stands for horizontal angle, and undercut stands for inclination in a vertical plane.

In connection with a machine of the type shown, such angular displacements may be by mounting the work on a platform adjustable to the various angles; or else by mounting bushing 30 so as to be angular Y adjustable in a vertical plane, and by adjus ing the frame at different horieontal angles to the work, as needed. These are mechanical details which may be easily solved when necessary; the outstanding feature resulting from this explanation remaining the translation of a three dimenturned into a satisfactory copy of the original by means of suitable finishing operations consisting mainly in the removal of excess matter between said points, and which may be assisted by photographs of the original, if available.

W hen carrying out the reproduction of a given work by means of its tabulated code, prefer to simultaneously operate a number of tools, each of which may previously. be set for a given depth of penetration; and in this manner I effect a very considerable saving in the time and labor required by the operation. An illustration of this feature nnv be observed in Figs. 4: and 5, where cl; of marble 36 is shown being carved by a plurality of rotary tools 37, each set in its relative position to the others, accord- 7 ing to the data obtained from the code. The tools are shown in the form of conical milling cutters, leaving portions of material indicated at 38, between adjoining tools. When the operation of the tools is completed, such portions may be removed by hand, and the surface equalized and finished as shown.

In Figs. 6, 7, 8, I show a machine for operating a plurality of rotary tools, which are not adjoining each other, to allow space for suitable driving gear. By such a type of arrangement, a number of points of the surface of the reproduction may first be carredout, and then the carriage or tool holder may be moved to some other position, the tools may be reset for their new respective penetrations, and new points of the surface determined. By repeating the operation a sufiicient number of times, the entire surface may finally be prepared for the final hand finishing operations, as explained in the previous case.

The machine consists-of a base 39 on which is mounted a carriage 40, horizontally adjustable by means of screw 41. On said carriage are mounted four vertical standards as, supporting an upper frame 43, and on which is slidably mounted a vertical carriage or tool holder 44.

Between part 40 and frame 43 are also mounted two adjusting screws &5, 46, by

means which the vertical position of tool holder at may be adjusted; said screws being operated by a handwheel a7, fixed on a shaft 48, which carries two worms 49, 50, in mesh with worm-wheels 51, 52, mounted on screws i5, 46, respectively.

The tools, 58, are earn operated by a gear 54-, said gears being operated by worm wheels 55, in mesh with worms 56, 57, 58, 59, 60. l orms 56, 57, are carried by a horizontal shaft 61, and worms 58, 59, 60, are carried by another horizontal shaft 62, both said shafts being mounted on tool holder 44.

Sa d shafts 61, 62, are respectively rotated by means of conical gears 63, 64': mounted on'the tool holder so as to be slidably lie ed on a vertical shaft 65 mounted between carriage 40 and frame 43, said gears being in mesh with gears 66, 67, mounted on shafts 61, respectively.

The rotation of shaft 65 is obtained by means'of a conical gear 68, mounted at its lower end, and in mesh with another gear 69 mounted on carriage at) so as to be slidably eyed on horizontal shaft 70, to which the motive power may be applied. Owing to the construction described, rotation of shaft 65 will take place at all positions of carriage 4+ in its horizontal ravel: and similarly, rotation of shafts 61, 62, will occur at all points of the vertical travel of tool holder t l. By means of screw 41 and shaft 48, therefore, the horizontal and vertical position of the tool holder may be adjusted, and the rotation of the tools may be obtained at all points.

The tools are axially adjustable in relation to gears 54:, and may be set in position in any suitable manner, for instance by means of set screws 71.

The machine also comprises a carriage or base 72, horizontally adjustable on base 3 5), by means of a screw 73, at right angle to the direction of adjustment of carriage 40. Said ca riage 72 is made with a circular platform, on which may be mounted a stand so as to be capable of angular adjustment in a horizontal plane in relation to a graduation 75.

On said stand, furthermore, is mounted a support or holder for the work, 76, capable of angular adjustment in a vertical plane, in relation to a graduation 77. 78 designates a block of marble, from which the work is being produced, secured on support 76 by means of clamping bars 79 and bolts 80. By this construction, angular adjustment of the work in relation to the tools may be obtained both in a horizontal and in a vertical angle; and by means of screw 73, the work may be fed to or away from the tools carried by holder eel, the feed being regulated by a scale or graduation 81 on base 89.

The principal feature is, also in this case, the possibility of adjusting the relative depth of penetration of the various tools, according to the indications obtained from the code for th eositions occupied by said tools. The 0th details are merely 1nc1 dental, and their ob ect is to illustrate the 1,5ee,55e I pene ,tion; and a new step in the carving og r non may then he carries out by again ding the work against the tools by means otscrew 73.

In F 9 I show another arrangement for carrying my intention into practice by means of tools .ctinp; by percussion, sun-h, for instance, as chisels 82. The holder in this case is bee-hiye-like type of frame, 83, divided into a quantity of longitudinal elei'neutary chambers 8 arranged side by side, each adapted to receive one tool. he tools e T are all of an even length, but their projection from the frame may be regulatec by nice -s of complementary stems 85 inserted at the rear end of each tool, and. arranged to project from the rear of frame 83 of an even length when the working ends of the tools are set for the right depth of penetration.

It plate 86 having a surface 87 abutting against the rear ends of said complementary stems is adapted to transmit to the same the blows imparted to said plate by some suitable striking mass, such as a hammer, rep resented by sleeve. 88. Said sleeve may be the end of the piston of a pneumatic hammer, or may be actuated in any suitable way to deliver blows against plate 86; and is is obvious tl at said blows will ultimately be transmitted to the tools within chambers by stems 85.

All the tools will thus simultaneously be subjected to the hammer blows thus delivered, and will advance gradually, their relative depths of penetration being all the time maintained. With this arrangement, it will therefore be sufficient to set the tools and the complementary stems according to indications of the code, and then an entire ranged a. plurality oftools of the'proper size 90, ha 'ing a square section, each tool being arranged to pro ect of aquantity such as called for by the code for the'space or see tion occunied by the tool. The tools may then bev oclred in position by means of clamping plates 91, 92, forced in action by screws 93, 94; and a multiple tool is obtained having a multiplicity of carving or cutting points, each set for i;s proper depth of penetration in relation to the others. Frame 89 may then be acted upon by a suitable striking mass, such as may be operated by a pneumatic or a steam hammer, or by other means.

The action obtained by means of arrangements such as shown in Figs. 9, 10, may be compared to that of an ordinary chisel, with the difilerence that the depth of penetration is arranged for in advance, and that a quantity of chisels are actuated at the same time; in fact, the multiple tools shown may be compared to chisels composed of elementary units, each adjustable to project more or less in relation to a common plane of reference, and adapted to form a negative outline, by points, of the subject to be reproduced.

ln Fig. 11 I show a possible way of simplifying the procedure for obtaining the data to be translated into code form. A row of styluses 95, all of the same length, are shown abutting with one of their ends against the surface of a subject, the data of which have to be obtained. After setting, the tools may by clamped in position by clamp 96, and their relative penetrations may be read in relation to a common plane Another possible way of obtaining the necessary data, is by photographing the outline determined by the outer ends of the styluses, which is an exact reproduction, by points, of the profile being measured. The points thus obtained may the-n be translated into figures in a number of ways, which arewell known, and which it is not deemed necessary to describe in detail.

In this manner, a number of equidistantproliles of the subject may successively be obtained, until the entire subject has been covered; and the data of penetration for the different points may easily be translated into code form, to be used in making reproductions in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing, it appears that I provide a novel method of sculpturing, which consists in prea-rranging the depth of penetration of a tool or of a plurality of tools, and in driving then said tool or tools into the work according to its arrangement. Furthermore it appears that I also provide a novel method of graphic representation of surfaces of three dimensional objects, wherey tools may be quickly and accurately set for their proper depths of penetration, to be operated as set forth.

The mechanical details of the apparatus shown, may of course be altered to a considerable extent, without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; the draw ings having to be considered, as stated, more in the light of an illustration of the idea on which my invention is based, so as to convey a clear understanding thereof, than in the nature of a preferred embodiment of the intion itself.

It will therefore be understood, that I reserve myself the right of carrying my invention into practice in any way or manner which may enter, fairly, into the scope of the appended claims.

if claim:

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a secondary fram adjustable on said main frame in one direction, a carrier adjustable on said secondary frame in a direct-ion at right angle to the direction of adjustment of said secondary frame, a plurality of carving tools axially adjustable independently of each other mounted in said carrier at right angle to the directions of adjustment of said secondary frame and carrier, means for simultaneously operating said tools, a Work sup porter mounted on said main frame, and means for adjusting the position of said supporter in axial direction of and in relation to said tools.

In a. machine of the class described, the. combination of a main frame, a secondary frame adjustable on said main frame in one direction, a carrier adjustable on said secondary frame in a direction at right angle to the direction of adjustment of said secondary frame, a plurality of rotatable carving tools axially adjustable independently of each other mounted in said carrier at right angle to the directions of adjustment of said secondary frame and carrier, means for simultaneously rotating said tools, a work supporter mounted on said main frame, and means for adjusting the distance and the angular position of said supporter in axial direction of and in relation to said tools.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a secondary frame horizontally adjustable on said main frame, a arrier vertically adjustable on said secondary frame, a plurality of rotatable carving tools axially adjustable independently of each other horizontally mounted in l carrier at right angle to the direction of adjustment of said secondary frame, means for simultaneously rotating said tools, a work carriage, mounted on said frame, an angularly adjustable work support associated with said carriage, and means for ad justing said carriage in axial direction of said tools MARIO SCHIESARI. 

